The University of Rhode Island (URI) funds HIV/AIDS activities that contribute to HIV prevention by promoting behavior change among fishing communities in Pangani and Bagamoyo; by improving the livelihoods of vulnerable groups, including widows and PLHIV; and by strengthening local leadership to address HIV/AIDS. URIs HIV/AIDS activities are integrated into USAID Natural Resource Management projects, following the integrated approach outlined in the GHI Strategy.

In Pangani, these activities are being implemented in all 33 villages within the district, although the focus is on the Mkwaja and Mkalamo wards. In Bagamoyo, activities will be implemented in 10 coastal villages. Target populations in both districts include fishermen, women involved in the fishing industry, village leaders, and young girls aged 10-24 (the age group most exposed to early/forced/transactional sex). All activities are implemented in coordination with local government ,as VMACs serve as the primary collaborator at the village level. Most activities are mainstreamed into village level HIV/AIDS action plans and integrated into district development plans. This intentional strategy of mainstreaming and integration enhances the cost effectiveness and sustainability of these activities.

URI has established an M&E system that includes quarterly data collection, with all data subjected to careful data quality assessment. All data files are stored in the TCMP office in Bagamoyo or with local partners.

URI will continue to address harmful social and community norms, such as fish-for-sex, partner swapping, early/forced marriages, and gender-based violence. Activities will be geared toward the general population in 16 fishing villages in Pangani and Bagamoyo districts.

The project will strengthen the skills of VMACs and other village stakeholders (PLWA associations, women, and youth groups) to address local HIV and gender needs. The project will work with VMACs to update previously developed village HIV/AIDS Plans and will support implementation of those plans through quarterly technical support visits. Work with the VMACs in the three villages of Bagamoyo District will be focused on developing VMAC Action Plans and subsequently tracking the implementation of one of the plans. One hundred integrated population, health, and environment peer educators (PEs) living in coastal villages will conduct outreach activities to deliver AB messages to 3,000 individuals--primarily fishermen and women involved in the fishing industry. A second target group is youth, which will be reached by 30 specially trained youth peer educators. The adult PEs will refer clients to HTC services as well as other health-related services, such as those available at FP, SRH, and MCH clinics, whereas HIV-negative men will be encouraged to consider VMMC.

During visits to the VMACs and PEs, URI and local partners will monitor activities, provide support, and collect data to feed the project's M&E system. Community-level follow up visits will also monitor VMAC performance on implementing updated HIV/AIDS Plans. The project will develop indicators for the gender responsiveness of village HIV/AIDS plans and semi-annually will analyze the village monitoring data. Work plan activities and monitoring data will be documented in tracking forms, field reports, and workshop proceedings. Meanwhile VMAC coaching reports, case studies, success stories, focus group discussions, and community diaries will capture more qualitative information about project activities. Pangani FM community radio will play a role in helping monitor community response to the interventions through direct feedback via SMS, call-ins to the station, and communications sent to the station via regular post.

Target Population: Fishermen / Target: 360 / Estimated Cost: $10,000

URI's HVOP activities will focus on mass communication for the general population in the Pangani District and targeted interventions for high-risk adults involved in the fishing industry in the Pangani and Bagamoyo Districts. The project aims to reach 9% of adult fishermen (e.g. at least 160 fishermen out of a total of 1,750 fishermen active in the Bagamoyo District). In Bagamoyo, the work will be implemented in 10 villages, which together have over 52,000 inhabitants. In Pangani, the activities will target 200 individuals in the fishing industry will be primarily implemented in the Mkwaja and Mkalamo wards, which together have an approximate population of 6,000.

In Pangani, URI will continue its efforts in mass communication, including Theater for Development, video spots, IEC materials, and interactive radio programming to promote a reduction in high-risk behaviors. Mass communication events will reach at least 30,000 individuals in the Pangani District, which is 67% of the total population. The project will use educational sessions and peer education to reach at least 200 men and women involved in the fishing industry. By integrating fishermen-specific issues into the village HIV/AIDS and gender plans, the project expects to reduce high-risk behaviors and promote HIV prevention among migratory fishermen and women working in the fishing industry. As part of social marketing to encourage the use of condoms, the project will continue to support existing provider outlets and to monitor condom use. Furthermore, the project will continue working with savings and credit associations in the Pangani District to improve livelihoods and increase access to credit among PLWAs, CSWs, orphans, and widows. This activity will be expanded to Bagamoyo, where it will target the same audiences. Overall, the project will improve the livelihoods for at least 90 individuals in six villages (three villages in Bagamoyo and three in Pangani).URI will scale its project activities in the Bagamoyo District where the project will focus on high-risk groups involved in the fishing industry. Trainings will be conducted for VMAC leaders to increase their knowledge of the rights of vulnerable groups (women, girls, PLWAs) and of high-risk behaviors related to the fishing industry. The project will use training, peer counseling, IEC materials, and interactive theatre to help empower at-risk women and fishermen to end their high risk behaviors, improve their life skills (including teaching them skills in entrepreneurship), and to prevent HIV- and gender-based violence. Condom social marketing outlets will be established that will connect with trained peer educators, who in turn will refer fishermen and other high-risk groups to the condom outlets, as well as to other FP, SRH, and MCH clinics. HIV-negative fishermen will be encouraged to consider VMMC.

To assure compliance with national and international standards, all training materials will follow MOHSW guidelines. Project staff will supervise and monitor monthly activities. In addition, information from these activities will be gathered and utilized during the quarterly and semi-annual self-assessment evaluations.